Molding transferring system for ceramic articles

ABSTRACT

Two trucks are caused to move in side-by-side relation on a pair of parallel tracks, one truck carrying top and bottom mould parts pivoted on opposite sides of the truck and having followers remote from the respective pivot axes. The other truck carries a horizontal support member pivoted on one side of this truck coaxial with the pivot axis of the bottom mould part on the first truck. The support member also has a follower remote from its pivot axis and which is spaced from it by the same amount as is the spacing between the follower of the bottom mould part and its pivot axis. As the truck moves along, the follower of the top mould part engages a carriage movable along an arcuate track having its center of curvature on the pivot axis of the top mould part and which carries the top mould part to an upright position. Thereafter the follower of the top mould part enters a fixed guide which holds it in the upright position. Beyond this is a second arcuate track stradding the paths of the trucks and having its center of curvature coincidental with the pivot axes of the bottom mould part and the support member. A carriage on this second track first engages the follower of the support member to swing it over onto the bottom mould part and then to pick up the follower of the bottom mould part as well and, during its return movement, to swing both the bottom mould part and the support member onto the other truck to transfer a moulded article onto the support member of such other truck. A further arcuate track and carriage then return the bottom mould part back onto the first truck, and a still further arcuate track and carriage then returns the top mould part onto the bottom mould part.

United States Patent Claessens et al.

[ 1 Mar. 7, 1972 MOLDING AND TRANSFERRING SYSTEM F ORCERAMIC ARTICLES[72] inventors: Frans D. Claessens; Theodore F. Hein,

both of Maastricht, Netherlands N. V. Koninklijke Sphinx-Ceramique v/hPetrus Regout, Boschstraat, Maastricht, Netherlands [22] Filed: May 18,1970 [21] Appl. No.: 38,272

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No.592,448, Nov. 7,

1966, abandoned.

[73] Assignee:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 17, 1965 Netherlands..65l4922 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Arnold et al...25/2 X Roensch et al ..25/41 R X Primary Examiner-4. SpencerOverholser Assistant Examiner-Dewalden W. Jones l/l956 Bishop ..l8/4C'Attorney-Snyder and Butrum [57] ABSTRACT Two trucks are caused to movein side-by-side relation on a pair of parallel tracks, one truckcarrying top and bottom mould parts pivoted on opposite sides of thetruck and having followers remote from the respective pivot axes. Theother truck carries a horizontal support member pivoted on one side ofthis truck coaxial with the pivot axis of the bottom mould part on thefirst truck. The support member also has a follower remote from itspivot axis and which is spaced from it by the same amount as is thespacing between the follower of the bottom mould part and its pivotaxis. As the truck moves along, the follower of the top mould partengages a carriage movable along an arcuate track having its center ofcurvature on the pivot axis of the top mould part and which carries thetop mould part to an upright position. Thereafter the follower of thetop mould part enters a fixed guide which holds it in the uprightposition. Beyond this is a second arcuate track stradding the paths ofthe trucks and having its center of curvature coincidental with thepivot axes of the bottom mould part and the support member. A carriageon this second track first engages the follower of the support member toswing it over onto the bottom mould part and then to pick up thefollower of the bottom mould part as well and, during its returnmovement, to swing both the bottom mould part and the support memberonto the other truck to transfer a moulded article onto the supportmember of such other truck. A further arcuate track and carriage thenreturn the bottom mould part back onto the first truck, and a stillfurther arcuate track and carriage then returns the top mould part ontothe bottom mould part.

11 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAR 7 I972 SHEET 1 BF 9 INVENTORMam/WV ATTORNEY PATENTEDHAR 7 I972 SHEET 3 [1F 9 R m W W m. 9/1 9 m F HH 2 BJU Z 5 m 9 \I. f w Y 9 H I w 1 m m... m a J UK r mum... 4 a m 4 4 jm m 2. \k a 2 nc M MM f a 0 V J M w W1 n $4 widt ATTORNEY PMENTEDMAR 7I922 SHEET 5 [IF 9 mm mm INVENTOR PEA v5 D, CLF/fSSE/VS THEQ 495 5 El/f/N M. 9 W ATTORNEY PATENTEDMAR 7 I972 SHEET 5 BF 9 F Ii" FAA N5INVENTOR TfiEoDoRE F. H

MW VM w ATTORNEY PATENTEDMAR 7 197g SHEET 7 0F 9 INVENTOR FgRNS D,CLLHESSE/VS 77150 M ADE F. l/E/IV MW ATT PATENTEDHAR 7 I972 SHEET 8 UF 9SEE INVENTOR MFA/vs ,0. Q HE SEA/5 PATENTEDMAR 7 m2 SHEET 9 BF 9INVENTOR F YA N5 0, L' fiess ENS 3411 1 Q /ZM ATTORNEY MOLDINGTRANSFERRING SYSTEM FOR CERAMIC ARTICLES This application is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 592,448, filed Nov. 7,1966, and abandoned concurrently herewith.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related tocopending applications Ser. No. 592,446 and Ser. No. 592,448 filed Nov.7, 1966 and Nov. 7, I966 respectively.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the production line manufacture ofrelatively large ceramic articles such as wash basins and the like, thespace required for the production line may assume quite largeproportions. This is due in part to the very nature of the variousstages of the process and also to the conventional techniques foropening, closing and in general moving the mould parts relative to eachother; and also to the conventional methods of effecting transfer of themoulded articles after they have attained the requisite green strengthonto a further line whereat the white strength thereof is attained. Dueto the relatively large size and weight of the mould parts and thetransfer members involved, conventional techniques for relatively movingthese members to effect the requisite operations have required arelatively great length of the production line such as may cause thespace required to be inordinately large.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention isdirected to a production line system forfmoulding ceramic articles andthe like wherein the complete operation is effected in a minimum ofspace; the space requirement is minimized through the medium of improvedtransfer techniques and improved mechanism for effecting the requisiterelative movements between the various component parts along relativelyshort sections of the production line.

Essentially, the above objective is obtained by the provising arcuatetrack sections associated with the production line equipment in whichthe arcuate track sections have their centers of curvatures alignedalong axes of pivotal motion of the respective members which are to beaffected thereby, there being carriage members movable back and forthalong these arcuate track sections and which engage followers on thepivoted members to swing them back and forth as required. In this way,the requisite movements are effected along very short sections of thetrack or production line movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURES FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic topplan view of a system for moulding ceramic articles;

FIG. 2 is a cross section on the line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section on the line III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section on the line IVIV in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross section on the line VV in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross section on the line VI--VI in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross section on the line VII-VII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a cross section on the line VIIIVIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a cross section on the line IX-IX in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a cross section through a system for removing the productfrom the mould;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a truck shown diagrammatically in theposition just before that shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a truck shown diagrammatically in aposition corresponding with said of FIG. 6;

FIG. 13 a perspective view of trucks diagrammatically in a positioncorresponding with that of the FIG. 7 and 8;

FIG. 14 a perspective view of the trucks in the position shown in FIG. 9with solid lines;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the truck in the position shown inFIG. 9 with dotted lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The system comprises a firstendless guide track 1 extending through two tunnels 2 and 3. A unitedrow of trucks 4 is disposed on the guide track I, and FIGS. 2 to 9 eachshow one such truck in different positions. The trucks 4 are driven bychains 7 passing over reversing wheels 5 and 6. A third tunnel 8 issituated next to the track 1. The tunnels 2, 3 and 8 can be heated foruse as drying tunnels. An adequate air circulation is maintained in thetunnels 2, 3 and 8 during drying. Part of a second endless track 9extends through the tunnel 8, while another part thereof is situated ontop of the tunnel 8. A united row of trucks 10 moves along the track 9.Space is saved by this construction of the track 9, although the tracks1 and 9 may extend at the same level.

FIGS. 3 to 9 each show one of the trucks 4 and 10 respectively of thetwo rows in different positions as they pass along the tracks 1 and 9respectively, while FIG. 2 indicates just the truck 4, since theassociated truck 10 is not visible in this cross section. As will beapparent from FIG. 2, the truck 4 consists of a frame 11 to which a toppart 12 is pivotally secured by means of the pivot 13. A bottom part 14is also pivotally secured to the frame 11 by means of a pivot 15. At itsside remote from the pivot 13, the part 12 has a follower 16 in the formof a roller. On the side remote from the pivot 15, the part 14 has afollower 17 also in the form of a roller.

The frame 11 of truck 4 also has a horizontal pivot 18 which forms anangle with the direction of movement of the truck 4 along the track 1.At the side remote from the pivot 18, the tope part of the frame 11 isprovided with a follower 19 in the form of a roller. The pivotable part14 bears the bottom half 20 of a mould, the top half 21 of which issecured in the part 12. While the truck 4 is moving inside the tunnel 2,the follower 16 assumes position 16' and runs through a fixed'guide 22,so that the top part 12 and the top half 21' of the mould are held inthe position shown in broken lines.

When the truck 4 leaves the tunnel 2, the mould 20, 21 is closed and ismade ready to receive the moulding material. This takes place overportion 23 of the traveL'In the next portion 24 of the travel, the mouldis filled with the slip, although this is not shown in detail. Anautomatic filler can be used for this purpose, the filler periodicallymoving in synchronism with the mould. After pouring, the mould filledwith the slip moves through the tunnel 3.

In the position shown in FIG. 3, the truck 4 has just left the tunnel 3.Any excess slip can now be removed from the mould, a guide 25 being usedfor the roller 19. The first part of this guide 25 extends upwardly atan angle and then joins a horizontal portion 26 which is then followedby a portion 27 which extends downwardly at an angle. By means of thefollower, the top portion of the frame 11 together with the mould halves20 and 21 pivots about the pivot 18 so that the mould is tilted, onecomer thus being lower than the others. A drain aperture 28 is providedat this lowest point of the bottom half 20 of the mould and the excessslip can escape through this drain aperture. An automatic system may beused to remove the plug from the aperture 20. The mould can thereforeleak while the roller 19 in position 19 follows the horizontal guideportion 26. The mould 20, 21 is finally returned to the horizontalposition by means of the downwardly extending portion 27 of the guide.This position is shown in FIG. 5. The guide 26 has various upwardly anddownwardly extending portions 25, 27, so that the place where the slipis drained can be changed as necessary.

The mould then moves on in the position shown in FIG. 5, in which theproduct dries in the mould.

After drying, the top part 12 can be swung upwards together with the tophalf 21 of the mould as shown in FIG. 6, whereafter the truck 4 is movedon and the moulded product 29 is situated on the bottom half 20 of themould.

A truck 10 with a bearer 30 moves over the track 9. The bearer 30 isprovided with a shaft 31 extending in parallel relationship to thedirection of movement of the truck. At the end of the part of track 9situated on the tunnel 8 the truck 10 moves down into the position shownin FIG. 6. It now follows a path in which the tracks 1 and 9 areparallel to one another; During the downward movement, the shaft 31comes to lie in two bearings which are open at the top and which formpart of the truck 4 and are coaxial with the pivot 15. The trucks 10 and4 are coupled together in the position shown in FIG. 6. To enable theproduct 29 to be removed from the mould, the bearer 30 is pivoted aboutthe pivot 15 into the position 30' shown in FIG. 7, by means of a guidesystem not shown in detail in FIGS. 6 to 9. The bearer 30 is providedwith a follower 32 which assumes the position 32 in these conditions.

The bearer 30' and the part 14 together with the bottom half 20 of themould are then swung back about the pivot 15 into the position 14' shownin FIG. 8, in which the product 29 comes to lie on the bearer 30 and thebottom half 20' lies above the product 29. The mould half 20' togetherwith the part 14' is then swung back into the position shown in FIG. 9.The product 29 is then left on the bearer 30. The trucks l and 4 arethen decoupled, the shaft 31 being lifted out of the bearings on truck 4by means of an upwardly extending portion (not shown) of track 9. Thetracks 9 and 1 then diverge from one another. The truck then runs backthrough the tunnel 8 in which the product 29 is dried to such an extentthat it can be taken off the truck 10 when the latter leaves the tunnel8. The truck 10 with the bearer 30 then moves on and can subsequentlycooperate with another truck 4.

The truck 4 also moves on, the top part 12 together with the mould half21 being brought into the position 12, 21' shown in broken lines in FIG.9. The follower 16 then assumes the position 16 in the fixed guide 22.The truck 4 moves on through the tunnel 2 with the mould halves 20 and21' half open. When it leaves the tunnel 2, the truck 4 is again in theposition shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, whereafter the cycle can berepeated from the start.

After each mould 20, 21 has been successively used a number of times,the moulds must be dried. To this end, the guide 22 continues withoutinterruption along the entire track 1 and both tunnels 2 and 3 areheated. The opened moulds then pass through the drying tunnels a numberof times. When they are sufficiently dry, moulding can be carried outagain. Moulding is preferably carried out during the daytime and themoulds dried at night.

FIG. 10 is a cross section transversely of the direction of the tracks 1and 9, showing a mechanism for removing the moulding 29 from the bottommould half 20. The mechanism comprises a circular guide 34 extendingover the two tracks 1 and 9 and with its center coinciding with thecenter of the pivots and 31 when the trucks 4 and 10 are situatedbeneath the are 34. A double guide section 35 can move along the are 34and is driven by a chain 36 which is taken over reversing wheels 37 and38 at the end of the are 34 and sprocket wheels 39 and 40. Whenconsidered in the direction of movement of the trucks 4 and 10, theguide section 35 first comprises a first guide 41 for the roller 32 ofbearer 30 and when considered in the direction of movement of the trucks10 and 4 its second portion is provided with a second guide 42 which cancooperate with the roller 17 of part 14 in which the mould half rests.The mechanism operates as follows:

On the forward movement of the trucks 4 and 10, the roller 32 enters thefirst guide 41. As soon as the roller 32 is in said guide 41, the chain36 is driven and moves the guide 41 via position 41 to the position 41",which is indicated by broken lines. In this position the bearer issituated above the product 29. The roller 17 then comes into the secondguide 42. The chain 36 is then driven in the opposite direction and themould 20 with the product 29 and the bearer 30 together move to theright, and when the guide section again reaches the right-hand endposition the product 29 with the mould half 20 above it rests on thebearer 30. The rollers 32 and 17 then leave the guide section 35. Theroller 17 then cooperates with a corrugated guide, by means of which themould 20 is moved up and down with respect to the product 29 in order tofacilitate release. The roller 17 then cooperates with a correspondingguide section which moves the part 14 and the mould 20 back to the truck4, as schematically indicated in FIG. 9.

Appropriate guide sections are provided along another portion of thetrack 1 to operate the part 12 with the top mould half 21. These guidesections move along arcs whose center coincides with the center of thepivot 13.

In FIG. 11, corresponding to FIG. 2, a frame 50 is shown supporting thecircular guides 51 and 52, the centers of which coincide with the axisof the pivots 13 when the truck 4 is situated beneath the guides 51 and52. The carriage 53 is movable along the guides 51 and 52 and is drivenby suitable means such as the endless chains 54 and 55, which as shown,may be trained about the respective sprockets 56, 57, 58 and 59 andwhich are driven through sprocket wheels 60 and 61. The movement of thetruck 4 along the rails 1 is in the direction of the arrow. The follower16 travels along the fixed guide 22 so that the top part 12 of the mouldis held in the open position until the follower 16 enters the guide orcarriage section 53, whereafter the guide section is moved downwards bymeans of the chains 54 and 55 to the dashed line position indicated at53'. During this downward movement the follower 16 continues to move inthe direction of the arrow through the guide section 53. When thecarriage 53 reaches its lowermost position, the top part 12 rests on thelower part 20 of the mould, and on the further movement of the truck 4the follower 16 leaves the carriage 53 whereafter the carriage isreturned to the full line position shown in FIG. 11 so that the top part12 of the next mould can be lowered into position.

In FIG. 12 the truck 4 is shown moving in the direction of the arrowalong the rail, with the upper half 12 of the mould still resting on thelower half 20. FIG. 12 shows a station for swinging the upper part 12 ofthe mould into the open position after the article has been moulded andhas attained sufficient green strength to be transferred. There areagain circular guides 62 and 63 along which a carriage may move in afashion similar to that described in connection with FIG. 11. The centerof curvature of the circular guides 62 and 63 coincides with the axis ofthe pivots 13 when the truck is below the guides 62. and 63. As soon asthe follower 16 enters the guide section 64, the guide section is movedalong the guide 62 and- 63 into the dashed line position 64', duringwhich movement the follower 16 continues movement in the direction ofthe arrow along the guide section 64. In the dashed line position, thefollower 16 leaves the carriage and enters a fixed guide section 65, sothat during further movement of the truck 4 the upper half 12 ismaintained in the open position.

FIG. 13 shows a perspective view which corresponds with the crosssection shown in FIG. 10, wherein the trucks 4 and 10 are shown movingalong the respective rails l and 9. The trucks are shown in a positionwhere they have just entered the arcuate track formed by the circularguides 34. The lower half of the mould on the truck 4 is shown in dottedlines, as indicated at 14', and is shown in the position relative to thetruck 4 before the follower 17 has entered the guide 42".

The way in which the mechanism operates has been already described inconnection with FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 shows a station in which part 14 is moved back to the truck. Inthis station circular guides 70 are arranged such that by means ofchains 71, the carriage or guide section 72 may be moved into the dashedline position 72'. As soon asa follower as shown at 17 enters the guidesection 72 this guide section moves to the position 72' so that thebottom mould part is moved back from the truck 10 to the position 14 onthe truck 4.

In FIG. 15 the truck 10 is shown moving along the rails 1 in thedirection of the arrow. The arcuate track or guides are provided with aguide section or carriage 81 movable into a position 81'. In theposition 81 this guide section is in line with the guide 65 from FIG.12, the guide 65 maintaining the portion 12 in the upright position. Theguide section 81' is in line with the fixed guide 22, so that as soon asthe follower 16 enters the guide section 81, it moves to the position81'. Thereafter the part 12 of the mould is swung into the positionshown in FIG. 11,

What we claim is:

1. In an article handling system, in combination,

article-handling means moveable continuously along a given path, saidarticle-handling means including a supporting base and a member pivotedto said base about an axis extending in the direction of movement ofsaid article-handling means, said member having a follower remote fromsaid axis,

elongated guide means disposed along a portion of said path forreceiving said follower,

and means for moving said guide means back and forth along an arcuatepath having said axis as its center when said follower is captivetherewithin whereby to pivot said member about its axis as saidarticle-carrying means is moving along said path, said article handlingmeans comprising a mold, said mold having a bottom part and said memberconstituting a top part, the top and bottom parts defining a mold cavitytherebetween.

2. In the article handling system according to claim 1, wherein saidbottom part is pivoted to said base about a second axis parallel to thefirst mentioned axis, and said bottom part having a second followerremote from said second axis,

second elongate guide means disposed along a second portion of saidclosed path for receiving said second follower,

and means for moving said second guide means back and forth along anarcuate path having said second axis as its center when said secondfollower is captive therewithin.

3. In the article handling system according to claim 2, includingarticle receiving means moveable along a second path different from thefirst mentioned path but having a section lying alongside a portion ofsaid first path, said article receiving means and said article handlingmeans being moveable in synchronism along said section and said portionrespectively, and said second axis being between said first and secondpaths whereby an article is transferred from said article handling tosaid article receiving means.

4. In the article handling system according to claim 3, wherein saidsecond path converges downwardly with respect to said first path at theapproach to said section and diverges upwardly with respect to saidfirst path at the end of said section, a third member normally carriedby said article receiving means and having a pivot means at one end anda third follower remote therefrom, said article handling means includingmechanism for receiving said pivot means in alignment with said secondaxis, and said second guide means having a portion for receiving saidthird follower.

5. In the article handling system according to claim 4, wherein saidbottom part of the mold is pivoted to said base, and means for tiltingsaid mold with respect to said base about the pivotal connection betweensaid bottom part and said base.

6. In a system for molding ceramic and the like articles, incombination,

a mold assembly including a carrier, a bottom mold part pivoted about afirst axis on one side of said carrier, and a top mold part pivotedabout a second axis parallel to the first axis but on the opposite sideof said carrier, said top and bottom parts having first and secondfollowers, respectively, remote from their respective pivot axes,

means for continuously moving said carrier along a closed path,

means for engaging said first follower to swing said top part of themold away from the bottom part and expose a molded article therein,

a second carrier,

means for moving said second carrier along a second closed pathdifferent from the first path but with the two paths lying alongsideeach other at one section, said second path converging downwardly withrespect to the first path at the approach to said section and divergingupwardly with respect to the first path at the end of said section,

a counterpart for said top mold part normally carrier by said secondcarrier and including pivot means engageable and disengageable with saidfirst carrier respectively, in response to the convergence at theapproach to said section and the divergence at the end of said section,as aforesaid, said pivot means being located to coincide with said pivotaxis of said bottom part of the mold when engaged with said firstcarrier, said counter part having a third follower remote from saidpivot means,

elongate guide means along said section normally aligned to receive saidthird follower and having a portion for receiving said second follower,

and means for moving said guide means back and forth in an arcuate pathhaving said pivot axis of said bottom part of the mold as its center toswing said counterpart over onto first carrier, pick up said secondfollower and swing said bottom part and said counterpart back over ontosaid second carrier.

7. In the system according to claim 6, including means for returningsaid bottom part to said first carrier.

8. In a system for molding ceramic and like articles, in combination,

a mold assembly including a first carrier;

means for moving said first carrier along a first endless path duringwhich movement and article is formed in the mould assembly and thentransferred therefrom,

a second carrier,

means for moving said second carrier along a second closed pathdifierent from the first path but with the two paths lying alongsideeach other at one section whereat the article transfer is effected,

said mould assembly also including a substantially horizontal bottommould part pivoted on said first carrier about a first axis parallel tothe movement of the first carrier and offset to one side thereof towardsaid second path along said one section, said bottom mould part having afollower spaced from said first axis by a predetermined amount towardthe other side of said first carrier,

said second carrier including a substantially horizontal support memberpivoted thereto about a second axis parallel to the movement of thesecond carrier and disposed to lie on one side thereof coaxial with saidfirst axis along said one section, said support member having a followerspaced from said second axis by said predetermined amount toward theother side of said support member, means for moving said first andsecond carriers in side-byside synchronism along said one section,

means disposed along said one section for selectively engaging saidfollowers first to pivot said support member into overlying relation tosaid bottom mould part, then to pivot both said support member and saidbottom mould part over onto said second carrier, and then to return saidbottom mould part back to said first carrier, whereby said transfer ofthe article is effected.

9. In the system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the last mentioned meansincludes an arcuate track straddling said paths along said one sectionand having its center of curvature coincidental with said axes alongsaid one section, and a carriage movable back and forth along saidtrack.

10. In the system as defined in claim 9, wherein said mould assemblyincludes a top mould part overlying said bottom mould part and pivotedon said first carrier about a third axis extending along the directionof movement of said first carrier and disposed laterally beyond saidfollower of the bottom mould part by an amount sufficient to clear saidarcuate track, said top mould part having a follower adjacent said firstaxis, and means for engaging the follower of said top mould part toswing the same to one side about its axis to clear said arcuate track.

11. In the system as defined in claim 10, wherein the means for engagingthe follower to said top mould part includes an arcuate track having itscenter of curvature lying on said third axis, a carriage movable backand forth therealong, and a fixed guide engaging the follower of saidtop mould part to hold such top mould part substantially upright as itpasses the first mentioned arcuate track.

1. In an article handling system, in combination, article-handling meansmoveable continuously along a given path, said article-handling meansincluding a supporting base and a member pivoted to said base about anaxis extending in the direction of movement of said article-handlingmeans, said member having a follower remote from said axis, elongatedguide means disposed along a portion of said path for receiving saidfollower, and means for moving said guide means back and forth along anarcuate path having said axis as its center when said follower iscaptive therewithin whereby to pivot said member aboUt its axis as saidarticle-carrying means is moving along said path, said article handlingmeans comprising a mold, said mold having a bottom part and said memberconstituting a top part, the top and bottom parts defining a mold cavitytherebetween.
 2. In the article handling system according to claim 1,wherein said bottom part is pivoted to said base about a second axisparallel to the first mentioned axis, and said bottom part having asecond follower remote from said second axis, second elongate guidemeans disposed along a second portion of said closed path for receivingsaid second follower, and means for moving said second guide means backand forth along an arcuate path having said second axis as its centerwhen said second follower is captive therewithin.
 3. In the articlehandling system according to claim 2, including article receiving meansmoveable along a second path different from the first mentioned path buthaving a section lying alongside a portion of said first path, saidarticle receiving means and said article handling means being moveablein synchronism along said section and said portion respectively, andsaid second axis being between said first and second paths whereby anarticle is transferred from said article handling to said articlereceiving means.
 4. In the article handling system according to claim 3,wherein said second path converges downwardly with respect to said firstpath at the approach to said section and diverges upwardly with respectto said first path at the end of said section, a third member normallycarried by said article receiving means and having a pivot means at oneend and a third follower remote therefrom, said article handling meansincluding mechanism for receiving said pivot means in alignment withsaid second axis, and said second guide means having a portion forreceiving said third follower.
 5. In the article handling systemaccording to claim 4, wherein said bottom part of the mold is pivoted tosaid base, and means for tilting said mold with respect to said baseabout the pivotal connection between said bottom part and said base. 6.In a system for molding ceramic and the like articles, in combination, amold assembly including a carrier, a bottom mold part pivoted about afirst axis on one side of said carrier, and a top mold part pivotedabout a second axis parallel to the first axis but on the opposite sideof said carrier, said top and bottom parts having first and secondfollowers, respectively, remote from their respective pivot axes, meansfor continuously moving said carrier along a closed path, means forengaging said first follower to swing said top part of the mold awayfrom the bottom part and expose a molded article therein, a secondcarrier, means for moving said second carrier along a second closed pathdifferent from the first path but with the two paths lying alongsideeach other at one section, said second path converging downwardly withrespect to the first path at the approach to said section and divergingupwardly with respect to the first path at the end of said section, acounterpart for said top mold part normally carrier by said secondcarrier and including pivot means engageable and disengageable with saidfirst carrier respectively, in response to the convergence at theapproach to said section and the divergence at the end of said section,as aforesaid, said pivot means being located to coincide with said pivotaxis of said bottom part of the mold when engaged with said firstcarrier, said counter part having a third follower remote from saidpivot means, elongate guide means along said section normally aligned toreceive said third follower and having a portion for receiving saidsecond follower, and means for moving said guide means back and forth inan arcuate path having said pivot axis of said bottom part of the moldas its center to swing said counterpart over onto first carrier, pick upsaid second follower and swing said bottom part and said counterpartback over onto said second carrier.
 7. In the system according to claim6, including means for returning said bottom part to said first carrier.8. In a system for molding ceramic and like articles, in combination, amold assembly including a first carrier; means for moving said firstcarrier along a first endless path during which movement and article isformed in the mould assembly and then transferred therefrom, a secondcarrier, means for moving said second carrier along a second closed pathdifferent from the first path but with the two paths lying alongsideeach other at one section whereat the article transfer is effected, saidmould assembly also including a substantially horizontal bottom mouldpart pivoted on said first carrier about a first axis parallel to themovement of the first carrier and offset to one side thereof toward saidsecond path along said one section, said bottom mould part having afollower spaced from said first axis by a predetermined amount towardthe other side of said first carrier, said second carrier including asubstantially horizontal support member pivoted thereto about a secondaxis parallel to the movement of the second carrier and disposed to lieon one side thereof coaxial with said first axis along said one section,said support member having a follower spaced from said second axis bysaid predetermined amount toward the other side of said support member,means for moving said first and second carriers in side-by-sidesynchronism along said one section, means disposed along said onesection for selectively engaging said followers first to pivot saidsupport member into overlying relation to said bottom mould part, thento pivot both said support member and said bottom mould part over ontosaid second carrier, and then to return said bottom mould part back tosaid first carrier, whereby said transfer of the article is effected. 9.In the system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the last mentioned meansincludes an arcuate track straddling said paths along said one sectionand having its center of curvature coincidental with said axes alongsaid one section, and a carriage movable back and forth along saidtrack.
 10. In the system as defined in claim 9, wherein said mouldassembly includes a top mould part overlying said bottom mould part andpivoted on said first carrier about a third axis extending along thedirection of movement of said first carrier and disposed laterallybeyond said follower of the bottom mould part by an amount sufficient toclear said arcuate track, said top mould part having a follower adjacentsaid first axis, and means for engaging the follower of said top mouldpart to swing the same to one side about its axis to clear said arcuatetrack.
 11. In the system as defined in claim 10, wherein the means forengaging the follower to said top mould part includes an arcuate trackhaving its center of curvature lying on said third axis, a carriagemovable back and forth therealong, and a fixed guide engaging thefollower of said top mould part to hold such top mould partsubstantially upright as it passes the first mentioned arcuate track.